Nigerian champions Enyimba FC have been eliminated from the 2019/2020 CAF Champions League following a 1-0 aggregate defeat to Sudanese side Al Hilal in Omdurman on Sunday.

A goal just after half-time from Mohamed Musa was enough to relegate the Peoples Elephant to the CAF Confederation Cup (CAFCC) where they will enter in the play-off stage.

Enyimba’s defeat means Nigeria will be left without a club in the upcoming group phase of the elite African club competition

With Al Hilal holding out for a barren draw in Aba in the first leg a fortnight ago, Eight-times Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) champions Enyimba needed to avoid defeat in Sudan to progress to the group stage.

The two-time African champions will now try their luck at winning a CAF competition this season in the continent’s second-tier club competition alongside other 15 first-round losers who also dropped to the Confederation Cup and will play last-32 winners in that competition in two-leg play-offs during October with group places at stake.

Nigeria’s other representatives in the CAF Confederation Cup, Enugu Rangers progressed to the final qualifying stage after a 4-3 aggregate victory over Gabonese side AS Pelicans in Enugu on Sunday.

Kano Pillars, the other Nigerian contenders for the Champions League this season, were defeated by Asante Kotoko of Ghana in the previous round.

The draws for the playoffs stage of the CAF Confederation Cup and the group stage of the CAF Champions League will take place in October.